Comb with a ball level and indicia

ABSTRACT

A comb is provided that comprises a ball level with indicia designed to indicate the angles for the positions of the comb needed for cutting hair styles accurately. The ball level comprises a transparent, spherical container filled with a liquid and containing a bubble or marker that is lighter in weight than the liquid. The bubble always floats to the vertical top of the container in whatever position the container is placed. The ball level further comprises indicia, such as degree numbers and vertical and horizontal lines, that indicate angles. To position the comb at the proper angle for a hair style, the user holds the comb so that the bubble or marker moves to the correct indicia for that angle. Because the ball level is spherical, the indicia may be seen when the comb is held in many different positions.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to combs and more particularly to combsprovided with a ball level for indicating degrees from an axis that areuseful for cutting hair.

BACKGROUND

Cutting hair is typically done by means of specially designed cuttinginstruments, such as scissors and hair clippers, and a comb. Forexample, hair stylists, barbers, and average consumers often uses a combto help guide a pair of scissors when cutting hair. The use of a comb toguide cutting is especially important for cuts made with hair clippers.Moreover, to achieve certain hair styles, it is often necessary to cutthe hair to at a specific angle by holding the comb as closely aspossible to that angle. For example, bangs typically must be cut at ahorizontal angle.

Moreover, a hair stylist often follows a printed guide that suggestsprecise angles for cutting hair. FIG. 1, for example, suggests holdingscissors at a 10° angle 4 from a vertical plane roughly paralleling thevertical surface of a person's head 2 for making a particular cut for acertain hair style. If the hair is not cut at the angle appropriate fora particular hair style, the person receiving the hair cut may bedissatisfied.

Typically the person cutting the hair visually aligns the comb asclosely as possible to the required angle, but this is imprecise andoften hard to achieve quickly and in difficult working conditions.Because of the disadvantages associated with manually aligning combs,mechanical means have been designed to provide greater accuracy for suchalignment. For example, the use of levels for aligning combs whilecutting hair is known in the art, typically through bubble levels forholding a comb level horizontally or vertically, such as U.S. Pat. No.2,786,477 for Cohen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,879,777 for Miller, and U.S. Pat.No. 4,517,998 for Furco. U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,717 for Taylor provides acylindrical bubble level with click-lock detents for determining ahorizontal level when the comb is held in a variety of positions.

However, prior techniques do not provide a ball level with indicia, suchas degree numbers, that give the precise angles needed for cutting hairstyles accurately and that is visible when the comb is held in a widerange of different positions.

Therefore, there is a need for a comb equipped with a ball level withindicia designed to indicate the angles needed for cutting hair stylesaccurately.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The following explanation describes the present invention by way ofexample and not by way of limitation.

It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a comb comprising aball level with indicia designed to indicate the angles needed forcutting hair styles accurately.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a combcomprising a ball level with indicia comprising degree numbers designedto indicate the angles needed for cutting hair styles accurately.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a combcomprising a ball level with indicia comprising vertical and horizontallines designed to indicate the angles needed for cutting hair stylesaccurately.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification andassociated drawings. In accordance with the present invention, a comb isprovided that comprises a ball level with indicia designed to indicatethe angles for the positions of the comb needed for cutting hair stylesaccurately. The ball level comprises a transparent, spherical containerfilled with a liquid and containing a bubble or marker that is lighterin weight than the liquid. The bubble always floats to the vertical topof the container in whatever position the container is placed. The balllevel further comprises indicia, such as degree numbers and vertical andhorizontal lines, that indicate angles. To position the comb at theproper angle for a hair style, the user holds the comb so that thebubble or marker moves to the correct indicia for that angle. Becausethe ball level is spherical, the indicia may be seen when the comb isheld in many different positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following embodiments of the present invention are described by wayof example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates suggested directions for cuttinghair at a particular angle for a hair style;

FIG. 2 is a diagram that illustrates top view of a comb comprising aball level with indicia in an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram that illustrates a comb comprising a ball level withindicia, with the comb tilted at a particular angle for making hair cut;

FIG. 4 is a diagram that illustrates a ball level with indiciacomprising horizontal and vertical lines running across the sphere; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates a side view of a comb comprising aball level with indicia in an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The following description of drawings is offered to illustrate thepresent invention clearly. However, it will be apparent to those skilledin the art that the concepts of the present invention are not limited tothese specific details. Also, commonly known elements are shown indiagrams for clarity, as examples only and not as limitations of thepresent invention.

As shown in FIG. 2 the present invention comprises a ball level combuseful determining precise angles for cutting hair. In an embodiment,the ball level comb comprises the following elements:

-   -   A comb 6,    -   A ball level 8,    -   Fluid 9,    -   A bubble 10, and    -   Indicia 12.

In an embodiment, the comb 6 is straight-edged and measures eight inchesin length and one and one-half inches in width. Its thickness is oneeighth of an inch. The comb 6 may be constructed of the best qualitymaterials accepted and used by the manufacturing industry. This materialmay be lightweight and should be long lasting and durable. For example,the comb 6 may be constructed of high quality nylon or a product similarto nylon.

The comb 6 may further comprise particular configurations appropriatefor cutting specific hair styles. In an embodiment for making a buzzcut, for example, the spacing between the teeth of the comb may beslightly wider than normal for a straight-edged styling comb.

The ball level 8, known to those skilled in the art, comprises atransparent, spherical container filled with a liquid 9. In anembodiment, the ball level 8 is three-quarters of an inch in diameter.Ball levels 8 with other dimensions may be used in other embodiments.For example ball levels 8 with larger diameters may be used for easierreading. In an embodiment, the ball level 8 is made of a plastic that isnonporous, durable, and impact resistant. The ball level 8 may belocated anywhere on the comb 6, such as one end of the comb 6.

The liquid 9 may be formulated to prevent evaporation so that the liquidlevel would remain constant. The components currently used in themanufacturing of levels used for scientific and construction purposes,knows to those skilled in the art, could be adapted for use in the balllevel comb. In an embodiment, the liquid 9 is yellow in color.

In an embodiment, the liquid 9 contains a bubble 10 that is lighter inweight than the liquid 9. The bubble 10 always floats to the verticaltop of the ball level 8 in whatever position the ball level 8 is placed.In other embodiments, other observable elements, for example alightweight plastic marker, may be used instead of an air bubble 10. Themarker may be in any shape useful for marking, such as a ball or arrow.

The ball level 8 further comprises indicia 12 and 14, such as degreenumbers and vertical and horizontal lines that show the angle at whichthe comb 6 is being held. In FIG. 2 for example, the comb 6 is in avertical position, so that the bubble 10 floats to the 0° position 14,which is this embodiment is used to indicate a vertical position. InFIG. 3, however, the comb 6 is tilted at an angle approximately 10° tothe right of vertical, so that the bubble 10 floats to the 10° position12. The indicia 12 and 14 may comprise any angles useful for cuttinghair. As shown in FIG. 4, they may further comprise horizontal 18 andvertical 16 lines running across the sphere of the ball level 8 for easyviewing of such angles.

Moreover, the indicia 12 and 14, shown in FIG. 2, may comprise any othermarkings useful for determining angles for cutting hair.

In another embodiment the indicia may be located on body of the comb 6rather than on the ball level. 8

FIG. 5 is a side view of the ball level comb that shows how thespherical shape of the ball level 8 extends past the thickness of thecomb 6, so that the indicia 12 may be easily seen from many views of thecomb. This makes indicia 12 on the ball level 8 especially easy to readwhen the person cutting the hair moves the comb 6 into differentpositions.

Use

To use the ball level comb, the person cutting the hair determines adesired angle at which the comb 6, shown in FIG. 2, should be held toguide scissors, hair clippers, or other hair cutting devices whichcutting a particular hair style. For example, the person may consult aprinted guide, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, to determine the desiredangle, which in this case is 10°. The person then tilts the comb 6, asshown in FIG. 3, so that the bubble 10 floats to the indicia 12 for 100and makes the cut precisely.

The best dimensional relationships for the parts of the inventiondescribed above, including variations in form and use, will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art,

-   -   and are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

1. An comb-like apparatus for cutting hair at desired angles, thecomb-like apparatus comprising a comb, a ball level, and indicia.
 2. Theball level of claim 1, wherein the ball level comprises a sphericalcontainer with an observable element moveable in the spherical containerin response to the orientation of the ball level, the sphericalcontainer having a transparent surface through which the observableelement may be seen;
 3. The observable element of claim 2, wherein theobservable element comprises a bubble within the liquid inside the balllevel.
 4. The observable element of claim 2, wherein the observableelement comprises a marker within the liquid inside the ball level. 5.The indicia of claim 1, wherein the indicia serve in coordination withthe ball level to indicate at least one useful angle for cutting hair,the useful angle representing the angle of tilt for a comb.
 6. Theindicia of claim 5, wherein the indicia comprise at least one degreenumber.
 7. The indicia of claim 5, wherein the indicia comprise at leastone vertical line.
 8. The indicia of claim 5, wherein the indiciacomprise at least one horizontal line.
 9. An comb-like apparatus forcutting hair at desired angles, the comb-like apparatus comprising astraight-edged comb; a ball level, wherein the ball level comprises aspherical container with an observable element moveable in the sphericalcontainer in response to the orientation of the ball level, thespherical container having a transparent surface through which theobservable element may be seen; and indicia, wherein the indicia servein coordination with the ball level to indicate at least one usefulangle for cutting hair, the useful angle representing an angle of tiltfor a comb.
 10. The observable element of claim 9, wherein theobservable element comprises a bubble within the liquid inside the balllevel.
 11. The observable element of claim 9, wherein the observableelement comprises a marker within the liquid inside the ball level. 12.The indicia of claim 9, wherein the indicia comprise at least one degreenumber.
 13. The indicia of claim 9, wherein the indicia comprise atleast one vertical line.
 14. The indicia of claim 9, wherein the indiciacomprise at least one horizontal line.
 15. An comb-like apparatus forcutting hair at desired angles, the comb-like apparatus comprising astraight-edged comb that measures eight inches in length, one andone-half inches in width, and one eighth of an inch in thickness; a balllevel, wherein the ball level comprises a spherical container with anobservable element moveable in the spherical container in response tothe orientation of the ball level, the spherical container having atransparent surface through which the observable element may be seen,and a yellow liquid; and indicia, wherein the indicia serve incoordination with the ball level to indicate at least one useful anglefor cutting hair, the useful angle representing an angle of tilt for acomb.
 16. The observable element of claim 15, wherein the observableelement comprises a bubble within the liquid inside the ball level. 17.The observable element of claim 15, wherein the observable elementcomprises a marker within the liquid inside the ball level.
 18. Theindicia of claim 15, wherein the indicia comprise at least one degreenumber.
 19. The indicia of claim 15, wherein the indicia comprise atleast one vertical line.
 20. The indicia of claim 15, wherein theindicia comprise at least one horizontal line.